story_scave_1_1

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This is the girl who smashed my window?

Hrm. If she was breaking and entering, then we should confiscate everything on her and throw her out to the wastes. Those are the rules of the community.

But all she stole was a piece of dried cheese from the storeroom. Hey, you, what was your name again?

Hamelin... How about this, Hamelin: I'll toss a coin to decide your fate.

If it's tails, you'll be banished. But if it's heads, I'll let you off.

Reporting in.

Day... seven.

More deceased got disposed of this morning. Likely extreme Originium particulate density in the building. Conditions for the Infected are turning south fast.

For the past 24 hours, haven't seen any workers in any area not covered by walls, let alone leaving the factory.

Comms pick up heavy interference when I get even slightly closer.

High-voltage network all around outside. No way to locate the control room for now.

Got the exterior patrol shifts and movement patterns down. Can't work out the guards inside yet.

I want to get this crap over with. If you give the go, I can take the most violent option.

Hmph... Fine, Rhodes Island does things its own way. Copy.

Plan B? The factory's waste transporter goes down to the basement every morning at three. They stop running the sewer pipes in the meantime.

Simple enough to get through, as long as I get a gas mask.

I'm only responsible for paralyzing the security systems here, anyway. Not my job to provide followup support or guidance, right?

...I know. I can do this less cleanly, if it comes to it. Figured that's why you called me for this in the first place.

End of report.

Insane how Rhodes Island actually wants to save Infected. What an employer.

That's the sound of the transporter starting up... It's go time.

Ugh—

Lights out, bozo.

Security system here seems almost as complex as a prison. Whatever, it practically is one anyway.

Need to find the control room before I tip anyone off—

Watch it!

Huh?

Any further and you'll trip the automated—

—What? You?

...Tulio.

'Scavenger'. Heh, didn't think you were still kicking.

What're you doing here? Guessing you've been dragging that weapon with you through the sewer pipes, huh, li'l rat?

—Hold on, lower your blade, let's talk this out. Else I'll sound the alarm.

The system's linked directly to police HQ. They're gonna read any signal from here as an Infected riot.

You a guard here too?

Yeah, but trust me, Scavenger—

Tch. Trust you?

I'm betting we're after the same thing. I saw you knock that guy out. You're looking for a way out, aren't you?

'Cause I want out too, or else I wouldn't have stopped you just now.

Hmph.

*Sigh* I'm serious, I turned a new leaf since all those years ago. Look, I'm Infected now too. I've been through hella shit, I... I understand you.

You've seen this factory up close. You know how things are here, right?

They call me a guard, but I'm still just as much a prisoner as anyone else. We're all just as damned here.

Okay, but you're their overseer.

You know the sweet lies this place cooks up to lure in the Infected... I don't like it either, but we've all gotta get our hands dirty to survive.

You don't get any sympathy from me, sorry.

Hold on, I haven't gotten to the important part. I know the systems here inside out. You can't get past them without my help.

There're two watchhound cores monitoring the whole factory at the same time. Throwing the master breaker to cut the surveillance won't get you anywhere either; they'll switch to emergency power, fast.

You need someone to work with you, and obviously I need someone to help me out. So no matter how much you distrust me, working together's still our best bet.

I never said I was escaping.

I know you're wary of me, but—

—I'm completing shutting down this place's security system.

What?

That's the job I took.

What kinda merc just comes out and spills the job they're on?

Cut the crap. The sooner I'm done, the better. Tell me where the surveillance cores are located.

Alright... so you're agreeing to work together, then? Is that what you mean?

I know what you're planning, Scavenger. I'm not gonna tell you every route straight away.

Follow me, and keep to the foot of the wall. I've figured out the blind spots.

Is the factory foreman in?

He's not. Why would he be? It's three in the morning.

He only shows up occasionally. What kinda healthy guy would wanna live in a place where the air's filled with Originium?

So everyone here's Infected?

Yeah. Not a problem for you, right? You're already Infected, what's a couple more rocks gonna do?

What about the rest of your crew? I figure they all got their protection on?

What're you guys after, anyway? There's nothing valuable here, and we don't exactly make high-precision Originium products. Seriously can't figure out why anyone'd rob this place.

...Don't feel like answering, huh? You weren't this hard to talk to back when we used to do business.

Although I guess you wouldn't have cut it as a merc if you were the same as before.

Don't waste your breath. Never wanted to work with a piece of shit like you, anyway.

Tch...

But we've got no choice for now. We have to split ways from here.

Surveillance core's right over there, through the workshop.

Then we each make our move in ten minutes. I'll find you after. Once we RDV, we head to the master control room and take out the whole system.

You better have turned that new goddamn leaf.

I actually knew which side that coin would land on, the moment it fell.

Here, give me your hand. I'll teach you the trick. Like this—

It's alright, Hamelin. You might be Infected now, but you don't have to stay that far from me.

That's right, you'll be even further after today... You're leaving tomorrow morning, right?

I'm sorry. I couldn't do anything about it.

We know you got infected so the community could survive, but they won't even let you off for it... I know, you had to take that risk so we could carry on. That's how it's always been.

Take this silver coin—as a memento.

No matter where you are, no matter what happens... I'm here, and I hope you live.

Base station signal screener's already off.

Next, high-voltage network... down. Electric doors... open. Pulling the master breaker.

Phew...

Done?—

Tch...! Knew it!

Asshole! Backstabbing me again?!

How the hell does this work out for you?

Heh. Always gotta try, y'know?

Think you can get away with this? A little shit like you's never gonna fool me twice!

What else am I supposed to do? Just sit back and wait for you to take me out?

Neither of us needs the other now. The factory doors are wide open. Of course I'm gonna make the first move instead of being the victim.

I never said I was gonna kill you.

Duh. Why would you? But in what bizarro universe does this end with you letting me the hell go?

I'm Infected too. Now I can understand how desperate you were back then... and also how much you must hate me.

True... never had that many clients I could put a face to.

Tch. Since when did Zalaks have this much strength?

I told you, you're not getting away with this.

Now don't move, unless you wanna get cut in half.

Tch...

Let's be clear. Whether or not I kill you right now is entirely up to my mood.

You... This goddamn Oripathy's making me so weak. How the hell are you still just fine?

How did you pull this off? You're like a completely different person.

Hmph. Of course you wish I was still that rookie merc. Pure. Gullible.

I did the dirty work no one else was willing to, and the client never gave a damn thing in return.

I blacked out from an Oripathy attack, woke up in a ditch, and you know what I found? The few remaining things I had from home, gone, taken just like that.

You were gonna die sooner or later, so I figured waste not, want not...

Heh. 'Waste not, want not.'

Everyone living on the edge exploits each other like that. Isn't that the understanding?

And what was I supposed to do? Wait for some Infected to die and cause a spreader event right in front of me?

Who knew you'd live? And still be alive today!

Right... That's probably because I have someone who hopes I live.

When I woke up, I still had that silver coin sewn into my clothes. It was still there. That's why I decided to live on.

You really know how to hang onto life, rat. What could one silver buy you?

I never spent it. Never will.

Then how did you...?

The same way you got tricked into this factory, thinking there'd be a stable enough life for an Infected here. But what you got instead were vile living conditions and inhumane treatment.

What I went through didn't stop there. Might've been even worse. But that's life for you.

The hell are you saying to me...? Acting like we're in the same boat.

We're all in the same goddamn boat.

*Sigh*... Fine, I get it. Bet I look like the punchline of a joke to you now, huh? Must be nice, getting your revenge. No wonder you're in such a good mood.

Pssh... You think way too much.

Yeah, and it's all your fault I'm in this mess anyway!

Because I hired your Infected mercenary ass, it didn't take long for me to get symptoms too. I should've just stayed away from you and your kind!

Alright, get this through your skull. Touching the Infected isn't gonna give you Oripathy just like that.

You think I'd believe that?

No skin off my nose if you don't, but that's my current employer's view. I've gotta tell you on their behalf.

Oh... Now I get why you wanted me to work with you, even though you were scared of me getting payback.

You were gonna have me bust you out, then dispose of me to complete this imaginary 'revenge' of yours. Your whole 'waste not, want not.'

Ha, like you weren't thinking the same thing? Weren't you biding your time with me, just so you could make your move now?

So why're we still blabbering? Need me to teach you how they handle the Infected they kill here?

No. I only cooperated with you so I could finish my mission a little faster.

I can cope with shitawful work environments, and that includes shitawful coworkers. I don't think the way you do.

Besides, my mission was to aid and rescue the Infected, and you're one of them.

Rescue the Infected? You're shitting me.

Whatever. Ask my employer.

Reporting in.

Factory security system paralyzed, but foreman not on site.

Um, I don't care how you guys extract the Infected. Maybe you're taking them somewhere or whatever. I just wanna confirm if my mission's complete or not.

Factory guards are also Infected. You rescuing them too?

...So, I can handle problems my own way here.

Understood. I'll withdraw to the designated site ASAP.

End of report.

Hmph. Sounds like they're actually making good on what they said.

Never imagined I'd find such a trustworthy client. Let alone anyone who takes the Infected seriously.

...Just like how her wish could never come true.

—Anyway, you heard that. They gave me some leeway.

Damn, you really don't care about anything except what your employer wants.

Think what you like. I'll toss a coin to decide your fate, then.

If it's tails, I clean up the trash here and now; if it's heads, I let you off, and give you one more chance to start over, like the other Infected.

Scavenger slides out a tiny silver coin, and flings it into the air.

Many a time, alone with no one to turn to, she's shut her eyes and entrusted it all to the result of a coin toss.

'Maybe one day, when you're not using every ounce of your strength just to survive, you'll get to decide where it is you want to go.'

She doesn't know whether a day like that comes for people like her.

But this time, she knows what the coin will answer.